Wrench



June 6, 1939.

H. w. MICHALKA 2,160,977

WRENCH- Original Filed July 26, 19:57

I flarWM"c%d/%4NVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented June 6, 1939 PATENT OFFICE WRENCH Harry W. Michalka, Rice Lake, Wis.

Application July 26, 1937, Serial No. 155,787

Renewed January 9, 1939 1 6 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in wrenches, and the primary object thereof is to provide a wrench of the sliding jaw type equipped forquicker operation, as regards clamping and releasing a nut or other object, than wrenches as commonly constructed and particularly designed for easy operation to both clamping and releasing positions.

My invention is also particularly designed to 0 provide a wrench capable of operation as above set forth and comprising few parts of simple inexpensive construction, readily assembled and disassembled for replacement purposes, and in which all worm and other slow acting drive parts are eliminated.

Other and subordinate objects, together with the exact nature of my improvements, will become readily apparent as the following description proceeds and upon reference to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation,

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating the interior construction of the wrench and with parts showing in section,

Figure 3 is a View in rear elevation,

Figure 4 is a view in front elevation, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2 lookingin the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, my improved wrench, in its preferred embodiment, comprises, a substantially straight fiat sided handle I terminating at one end in an enlarged flat head portion 2 provided with a stationary jaw member 3 projecting therefrom in the plane of the handle and offset laterally of the longitudinalcenter thereof. The head portion 2 is formed, in its outer end face, with a transversely rounded open guideway 4 therein. A movable jaw member 5 is slidably mounted in said head portion 2 for movement into and out of clamping relation to the fixed jaw member 3 and by means of a base flange 6 fitting into said guideway 4. The jaw members 2 and 5 and the outer face of the head portion 2 may be inclined in the usual manner and for the usual purpose well understood and not requiring explanation herein. The guideway 4 may be extended under the base of the fixed jaw member 3, as indicated at 1, and the flange 4 of the movable jaw member 5 may be extended, as at 8, to provide adequate bearing surfaces for the jaw member 5.

The handle I is provided with a chamber 9 extending throughout the greater portion of its length and opening at the head end of the handle, as indicated at 19, into the guideway 4 for a purpose presently seen. The chamber 9 is provided with a straight rear side wall ll parallel with the longitudinal axis of the handle l. A cover plate l2 countersunk in said han dle, as indicated at 13, is removably secured to the handle by means of screws 14 taking into bosses IS in the chamber 9 projecting from the walls of said chamber.

The following mechanism is provided for sliding the movable jaw member 5 into and from clamping relation to the fixed jaw member 3.

A toothed pinion I6 is rotatably mounted in the chamber 8, on a stud I1, and at the head end of the chamber. The pinion l6 projects through the opening I9 into the guideway 4 and meshes with teeth l8 formed on the under face of the base flange 6. The pinion I6 is rotatable in either direction by means of a straight rack bar l9 disposed in the chamber 9 alongside of straight wall ll thereof and provided at one end with teeth 20 meshing with pinion I6 and at its other end with teeth 2| adapted to interlock with similar teeth 22 on the inner face of said wall II. It will be understood that the teeth 2| and 22 are adapted to lock the bar I9 against movement in a direction permitting releasing movement of the jaw 5. The arrangement of the pinion I6 is such that the rack end of said slide bar I9 is held in engagement thereby with the wall II.

The other end of the slide bar I9 is urged toward interlocking engagement with the teeth 22 by means of a compression spring 23 mounted in a socket 24 in one of the bosses l5 and bearing against said end of the slide bar l9. The slide bar I9 is normally locked in interlocking relation and fiat against the straight wall II by means of a locking member 25 comprising a bar engaging arm 25 and a manipulative arm 21. The locking member 25 is pivoted, intermediate the arms 26 and 21, in the chamber 9, by means of a pivot pin 28 with its manipulative arm 21 projecting through a slot 29 in the front side wall 30 of the handle I. The bar engaging arm 26 is of sufficient length to cam the slide bar l9 against the side wall H and to frictionally interlock with said bar in this position of the latter. A tension spring 31 having its opposite ends connected to thearm 26 and one of the bosses l5, respectively, tensions the member 25 against movement into unlocking position. In the locking position of the member 25, the arm 21 thereof engages one end of the slot 29 and limits movement of the said member beyond locking position. The slot 29 is closed on the inside thereof by a plate 32 mounted by means of a slot 33 therein on 'the arm 2'! for movement therewith over the slot 29. A leaf spring 34 mounted on the pivot 28 of the member and bearing against the plate 32 yieldingly engages the latter with the wall 30.

The slide bar I9 is provided with a button-like manipulating member 35 playing in a slot 36 formed in the wall II. The head end of the chamber 9 is curved outwardly from the rack end of the slide bar [9, as at 31, to provide a fulcrum point 38 behind said end and a clearance for said end, whereby said rod may be swung inwardly of the chamber 9 on said fulcrum' point 38 and against the urge of the spring 23. During such swinging movement of said bar, the rack end of the same is held in meshing relation with pinion I 6, as will be clear. In the inwardly swung position of the bar I9, it may be moved endwise by manipulation of the member 35. In this connection, it may be stated that the opening I!) in the head portion 2 is designed to accommodate the rack end of the bar I9 in its endwise movement.

In operating the wrench to clamping and unclamping positions, the locking member 25 is first F swung to unlocking position, against the urge of the spring 3!, and for manipulation of the arm 21. The slide bar l9 may then be forced inwardly, for the purpose above set forth, by pressure exerted upon the member 35 and slid in the direc tion desired. Upon release of the member 35 and the arm 21, said bar l9 will be swung flat against the Wall H under the combined action of the springs 31 and 23, the teeth 2! and 22 interlocked and the bar locked in the position into which it has been moved. In the event that the arm 21 is not released, the spring 23 will function alone to interlock said teeth 2i and 22.

The foregoing constitutes a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of my invention and it is believed that its operation and construction will be clear therefrom, without further explanation.

It is to be understood, however, that the present disclosure is illustrative rather than restrictive of the principles of my invention and that right is herein reserved to modifications of details described falling within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. In a wrench, a handle, a stationary jaw on the handle, a movable jaw fitting said handle and slidable crosswise thereof toward and away from the stationary jaw, a rack slidably fitted in the 'handle and susceptible of side motion, a pinion rotatably fitting the handle and in toothed en'- gagement with the movable jaw and said rack, latching teeth formed in the handle and onthe rack for separable engagement with each other .1011 side swing of said rack, means within the han dle for urging the teethon the rack toward the teeth in the handle, and a locking trigger fitting the handle and engaging the rack for holding it in a latching position.

2. In a wrench, a handle, a stationary jaw on the handle, a movable jaw fitting said handle and slidable crosswise thereof toward and away from the stationary jaw, a rack slidably fitted in the handle and susceptible of side motion, a pinion rotatably fitting the handle and in toothed engagement with the movable jaw and said rack, latching teeth formed inthe handle and on the rack for separable engagement with each other on side swing of said rack, means within the handle for urging the teeth on the rack toward the teeth in the handle, a locking trigger fitting the handle and engaging the rack for holding it in a latching position, and means urging the trigger in looking position.-

3. In a wrench, a handle, a stationary jaw on the handle, a movable jaw fitting said handle and slidable cross-wise thereof toward and away from-the stationary jaw, a rack slidably fitted in the handle and susceptible of side motion, a pinion rotatably fittingthehandleand in toothed.

engagement with'the movable jawand said rack; latching. teeth formed in. the handle and on therack forseparable engagement with each other on'side swing of said'rack, means within the handle for urging the teeth on the rack toward the teeth in the handle, and a fulcrum in the handle for holding the rack in engagement with the pinion when-therack is swung.

4. The combination with a wrench of the character describedhaving a handle, a fixedjaw, a jaw having a geared surface movable bythe rotation of a geared pinion, a swingable 'and'reciprocablerack carried in said handle,.one end .of

said rack being geared and engageable with ion'end ofsaidrackto prevent disengagement of the' rack and pinion when the opposite end of the rack is swung.

6. In a wrench, asfixed' jaw, a'handle provided with a chambertherein having atoothed wall, a movable jaw having a cogged surface slidable transversely of the handle, apin'ion meshing with the cogged surface of said movable jaw, amanipulative' bar having .a pinion drivingi end; and a toothed locki'ngi-end foriinterlocking with'the teeth of said'wall, said bar being m'ovable'end wise'of said handlei'for' driving operation, and

swingable-laterally to Emma its locking end into and out of interlocking engagement with the teeth on'saidiwallj THA RRYWIMICHAIKA. 

